Starving
by Lynn Heartnet
Summary: Alfred is homeless and hasn't eaten in days. Arthur is a rich hard worker who suffers from a more passionate kind of starvation. Perhaps they can come to an "arrangement". A request from E.P. Watts.


**A request from E.P. Watts who wanted to see "A situation in which America bangs England for a Big Mac." **

**I almost hate myself for writing this, but enjoy.**

* * *

DAY 1  
He saw him there every day.  
As he left for work, he'd see the boy just sitting there against the wall with the hood of his gray jacket pulled down over his face. He couldn't have been more than nineteen or twenty years old, dirty blonde hair and a pair of glasses that had seen better days.  
Arthur figured he was homeless, obvious enough when you looked at him. Just another child that ran away from home or ran out of luck. Just another homeless wretch to pass by everyday.  
So why did he stop?  
"Are you alright?" Arthur asked, because for some reason today he had stopped instead of walking on by and continuing with his life.  
The boy just sat there for a second, then he turned his face up and god he had the most beautiful sky blue eyes.  
"Fine." He coughed out, shooting the Brit a confused look.  
"You shouldn't lie." Arthur rubbed his temples, sighing. The boy just shrugged, and Arthur left.  
That was only the first time they talked.  
The second time, on the way home from work, lasted a little longer, and Arthur learned a little more.  
"What's your name?" Arthur asked, crouching down to be eye level with the boy, while also trying to avoid getting his suit dirty.  
"Alfred." The boy smiled slightly. "What's yours? Wait don't tell me...you're The Doctor. No wait...you're Elizabeth...er Harry Potter! Am I getting close?" He smirked.  
"Very funny, at least you have enough sense to compare me to The Doctor." Arthur rolled his eyes. "My name is Arthur Kirkland, not that you had the manners to actually care, you sod."  
"Nice to meet you." Alfred gave a mock wave and then folded his arms over his chest. "So why are you here? I don't sell drugs."  
"Why the hell do you think I would want something like that?" Arthur half growled half gasped.  
"Well why else would you talk to me?" Alfred shrugged.  
"Listen here, don't go around judging people before you know them!" Arthur hissed. "I am not a junkie."  
"Sorry...mom." Alfred chuckled. "Didn't mean to offend you. You just kinda looked like one of those punks."  
"What about me looks like a punk? I'll have you know I'm a complete gentleman!" Arthur yelled, his face turning red with anger.  
"Well you had an ear piercing, right? I can still see the hole." Alfred smiled. "Pretty cool, I would have kept that instead of swapping it for the suit."  
"I am a gentleman." Arthur insisted, and as he argued his point he tried to ignore the youth's charming smile...and bloody hell what a body.  
"That's too bad." Alfred sighed. "Gentleman never have any fun."

DAY 2  
It was the third day that week that Arthur had awoken with that familiar uncomfortable tightening in his pants. He just sighed and took care of it the way he always did, moving on with his life.  
Haven't had a real shag in too long... he thought bitterly while making his tea. His last relationship had been a year ago, and he was beginning to feel a little frustrated. It got so bad that sometimes he thought about Francis even though he swore he'd never see the frog bastard again.  
As he walked to work he thought about how he used to tangle his fingers in that long blonde hair, he was almost too distracted to check for Alfred.  
"Hey, Mr. Kirkland!" Alfred gave a small salute and smiled at the Brit, who managed to have a fantastic poker face after being ripped out of a sex fantasy.  
"What? Oh don't call me that." He shook his head. "You make me sound ancient."  
"Could I call you Artie?" He winked. "And while we're on the topic, how old are you anyway?"  
"No, you may not call me Artie, you may call me Arthur!" he shouted. "And if you must know, I'm only twenty-four."  
"Practically an old maid." Alfred joked.

DAY 3  
"So, is my conversation worth a buck or two?" Alfred asked hopefully.  
"You want me to pay you for talking?" Arthur was leaning against the wall, nursing a travel mug of tea. "Interesting occupation, that."  
"Hey, I appreciate that you don't walk on by me and ignore me like the rest of the world, but the rest of the world at least tosses a dime my way." Alfred smirked. "I gotta eat just like the rest of you."  
"You should find work." Arthur replied simply.  
"I tried." He said, just as simply, leaving it at that. "I really miss the taste of Mickey D's." He sighed.  
"I don't see how you could eat that garbage." Arthur winced, picturing the high calorie greasy food that he loathed so much.  
"It's hot, fast, and cheap. What's not to love?" Alfred laughed.  
"Sounds as though you're talking about a prostitute." Arthur chuckled, and then added unintentionally in one of those moments when he spoke what he meant to think: "Is that how you'd describe yourself, then? Lovely."  
He smacked a hand over his mouth, his emerald eyes widening in shock at what he just said.  
Alfred was just as surprised, his eyes were just as wide. Then he turned to Arthur and said:  
"Damn. Your place or mine?"

"Now...this is a one time thing...I don't normally..." Arthur stuttered, suddenly forgetting how to turn the key in the lock.  
"I know, I know. Gentleman, right?" Alfred's mouth was still friendly and joking, but his eyes were screaming out for something else. They shone with two kinds of hunger, and it was making it hard for Arthur to breath.  
Shut those baby blues for me won't you? I can't focus.  
Arthur managed to get the door open, though he wasn't sure how. As he walked in he tried to pretend that everything was normal, that he wasn't skipping work or inviting a stranger into his house. That he wasn't about to engage in relations with said stranger. In fact he refused to look back at Alfred as he put his keys on the table next to the door and walked into the living room, shutting the curtains.  
"Swanky." Alfred whistled admiring the apartment.  
"Mm." Arthur replied distractedly, trying to decide whether or not he wanted to turn on the lights and face what he'd brought into his house.  
The kid was walking around with his hands in his jacket pockets, looking around at the marvels of Arthur's home. At one point he flopped onto the couch and discovered the flat screen in front of it.  
"Oh wow that is a sight for sore eyes." He gaped. "Oh if I had an Xbox you have no idea. The adventures we would have." He spoke now to the tv, as he rubbed a hand across it's surface and whispered sweet nothings into its speakers.  
"Oh stop that you sod, you'll get fingerprints on the screen." Arthur laughed.  
"Shhh. Don't listen to him, baby. I'll take you where you wanna go." Alfred made sex eyes at the tv and in turn Arthur rolled his.  
"Speaking of..." Alfred turned back to Arthur, a nervous grin on his face. "Shall we?"  
Arthur took a deep shaky breath. Then he walked up to Alfred and put his hands on the youth's shoulders.  
"You don't have to." He bit his lip. "If for any reason you're doing this just to get into a house or money or...I don't do that kind of thing. Ask me for food or money or a place to sleep but don't do this for it." Arthur begged.  
"Hey. Do I look like I'm doing this for my own good? You're hot. I'm alone. I can tell it's been awhile for both of us." Alfred leaned forward and placed a kiss on Arthur's burning cheek. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you banged a hobo. I can be your little secret." He winked, and Arthur took one last breath before pushing Alfred to his knees.

DAY 4  
"I was thinking about us." Arthur rolled over under the bedsheets, staring at the alarm clock who's digital face read 4:00.  
"Whoa, that was quick." Alfred made a mock scared face. "Damn, he's one of those! I gotta shake him before he straps a ring on me!"  
"Oh shut up." Arthur pushed Alfred's shoulder. "I meant...I know I told you not to but...I think we could make an arrangement like this."  
"Oh?" Alfred's blue eyes shone in the darkness, and Arthur just managed to tear himself away from them long enough to admire the younger man's well muscled form.  
"I..." Arthur began with a blush. "I have found myself doing rather poorly without...well without a good shag. You find yourself unable to work."  
"Dude. I am not a whore." Alfred laughed.  
"I'm not proposing you turn into one!" Arthur grumbled. "I am merely stating that so long as you fulfill my needs I will fulfill yours. Namely food and shelter."  
"Dude...are you asking me to move in with you? We only just met. I could be an axe murderer for all you know!" Alfred blinked in surprise.  
"You aren't doing a very good job of selling yourself." Arthur scowled.  
"Wow that is what I'm going to do huh...sell myself." Alfred thought for a few minutes, then grinned. "I guess we could work things out."

"I cannot believe you eat this garbage." Arthur scowled, pressing a warm McDonalds bag into Alfred's chest.  
"Garbage? This is a masterpiece of cooking!" Alfred moaned, grabbing the bag and large soda with excitement.  
The two of them sat on the curb outside the McDonalds, Arthur looking very displeased and Alfred nearly tearing the bag apart to get to the greasy treasures within.  
"Slow down, you act like you haven't eaten in days!" Arthur scolded the boy. Alfred then treated Arthur to a look that could only be described as: "uh...dude...duh." Arthur squirmed uncomfortably.  
"Oh. Right." He murmured, vowing to remain silent while Alfred tore into a Big Mac and fries. Suddenly Arthur felt a warm body collide into his at top speed. Half of him registered that it was Alfred tackle hugging him, the other half was still a little confused.  
"It's been so long since I've felt the kind of sick that only fast food can make you!" He laughed and pressed the Brit closer to his chest.  
"W-well good? I suppose?" Arthur couldn't help but laugh in return, the excitement was just infectious.

DAY 5  
Alfred lowered himself down and nipped at Arthur's thighs, teasing him. The Brit didn't look teased, he managed to look completely serious as he stroked Alfred's hair and pressed his head closer. Alfred laughed again, that heavy laugh that held less innocent intentions, it made Arthur shiver.  
Alfred's tongue flicked out, taunting.

DAY 8  
"So, who are they?"  
Arthur tensed at the question, his neighbor had never been one to mind their own business. Arthur minded his own business so much that he couldn't even remember the man's name even though he'd been living next to him for two years.  
"Who?" He asked casually, placing his groceries at the door and reaching into his pocket for his keys, even though he knew Alfred would let him in if he knocked. He just didn't want to because well...there was the neighbor asking about Alfred!  
"Come on, I can tell when someone's getting laid." The man laughed. "You've loosened up. So, you hiding a hot girlfriend in there?" He gestured towards the door to Arthur's apartment.  
"No." Arthur replied coolly. It was technically the truth. Then he shut the door behind him.  
"Hey! Did you get my ice cream?"  
Alfred, who had been lounging in his boxer and t-shirt on the couch, leapt up from where he had been watching Gargoyles to hover anxiously over Arthur like a dog waiting for his owner to set down his food dish.  
"Calm down will you?" Arthur put the bags on the counter, deciding that Alfred could put them away this time. "The starving act was cute back when you were actually starving. Now I worry for your cholesterol levels."  
"Ouch. I'll have you know I'm very self conscious about my figure. How mean are you?" Alfred smirked, grabbing the pint of rocky road out of the bag and proceeding to make himself a bowl.  
"Work first, snack second. Put those away!" Arthur scolded, lightly smacking Alfred's ass. Alfred complied with a grin.  
"And by work do you mean putting the food away or...?" He let the question linger in the air.  
Arthur considered it.  
"Both." He decided. "Finish up your chores and then meet me in the bedroom. Don't take too long or I'll finish without you."

DAY 10  
Arthur snuggled into Alfred's arms, kissing the youth's bare chest and trying to leave an army of red marks on the skin. Alfred made small circles on the back of Arthur's neck with his thumb.  
There was something decidedly domestic about it.  
Arthur hated to admit it but he was enjoying this a little more than he should. A part of him thrilled in the idea that he had...well, he had his own little pet as it were. A man that would do anything for him just because he put a roof over his head and food (among other things) in his mouth.  
The other part of him was starting to hope that maybe there was more to it than that. After all they didn't just shag anymore, they did things together. They walked, talked, cuddled, did chores, took showers...  
Was Alfred falling for him as he had already fallen?  
He glanced up, hoping to find some clue in those bright blue eyes. However Alfred had his eyes closed in pleasure, and Arthur didn't want to spoil that mood. He kissed his way up Alfred's neck and jaw to his mouth. There he let Alfred steal deeper and deeper kisses until their tongues wrestled wildly.  
DAY 19  
Arthur wiggled, his hair mussed by his attempt to escape Alfred's grip. He huffed, and tried again but this time only succeeded in getting tangled up in the blankets.  
"Stop trying. You're staying home today and that's that." Alfred murmured, his voice muffled by the pillow.  
"I have a cold. That is not nearly enough to keep me home from work." Arthur insisted, working his way around Alfred's muscled arm.  
"You need to chill out and get better. I already called you out of work, now go back to sleep." Alfred peppered the back of Arthur's neck with kisses and the sick man blushed.  
"Alfred..." He said after a few minutes. "About our arrangement...do you think we've moved past it a bit? Are we...in a relationship?"  
He sighed when his question was answered only by Alfred's soft slumbering breath.  
DAY 30  
"I'm home." Alfred trudged in through the doorway, a look of disappointment plastered to his face. "No luck again."  
Arthur looked up from his book. Alfred's frown turned into a slight smile when he noticed Arthur trying to hurriedly hide a pair of reading glasses from the younger man. That Arthur, so self conscious about everything. Still even Arthur's stubborn antics weren't enough to keep a smile on his face after another unsuccessful job search.  
"Oh dear, Alfie." Arthur opened his arms wide and the younger man was all too happy to fall into the Brit's embrace with a sigh. He stretched himself out on the couch and then nestled his head against Arthur's chest.  
"Don't worry. I'll find work eventually." He sighed.  
"I rather you not, dear. You don't need to work if you just keep up with our arrangement." Arthur insisted. "I can take care of you."  
"Well as much as I love you taking care of me, I want to be a little independent you know? I wanna have cash for things." Alfred replied.  
"Hey, I could give you money." Arthur lifted Alfred's face to place a kiss on his lips.  
"I want to earn it myself!" Alfred pouted. "And by earn I mean with work...not just...how I usually earn my living." He sighed.  
"...Alfred...do you want to stop?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.  
"No no! I like being with you and the free food is a great bonus! I just need to get another job outside of working your body." He winked.,  
Arthur nodded, working circles into Alfred's tense shoulders with his fingers. He worried that if Alfred found work, he'd leave. After all what would he need Arthur for? A confident and good looking lad like that...once he had money he could find someone else more important...  
Alfred gave a contented sigh and began unbuttoning Arthur's shirt so that he could run his tongue over those sensitive nipples.  
"I missed you." He purred.  
"And I, you." Arthur chuckled, allowing Alfred to search Arthur's body with his fingers and tongue. Even though he was sure that Alfred must know every contour of his body by now.  
"It's time to sing for my dinner." Alfred smirked, settling himself on Arthur's lap.  
Arthur nodded, thinking: Yes...that is why you are here...

...  
DAY 365  
Where is he?  
Arthur paced anxiously and a tad angrily across the floor, his shoulders hunched and his brow furrowed. He didn't expect much from Alfred, in fact all he expected was that the boy showed up on time, acted polite in public, and followed their agreement! He was now in violation of that first expectation.  
Was he really held up at work this long? It was the year anniversary of the day they met, sure Arthur wasn't expecting romance or roses but he at least expected dinner and a long night's shag. Alfred knew this, so where was he?  
Finally the door creaked open and Alfred padded in looking weary. Arthur stormed over to the man and grabbed him by his suit jacket. He tried to ignore how sexy Alfred looked on the rare occasions when he dressed up so that he could yell at him properly.  
"Where have you been?" He scolded. "Do you know how long I've been waiting?"  
"I know I know, just hang on a second." Alfred said hurriedly, a large yet tired grin creasing his face. "I have something for you!"  
Arthur blushed and sighed, every since Alfred had started working he had begun to bring home small gifts: books, candy, once he even brought home the most beautiful leather bound journal Arthur had ever seen.  
"You didn't need to do that." He chuckled. "You've given me something this week already!"  
"This is different!" Alfred squirmed. "It's important!"  
"Oh very well. What is it?" Arthur smiled.  
Alfred blushed and squirmed a bit more, looking unsure of himself. For a second Arthur expected him to bolt from the room.  
"Um..." He grinned slightly. "Here...I was going to do this the conventional way but...nothing about us is conventional anyway. I think you'd appreciate it being simplier anyway." Alfred took Arthur's hand in his own and then slipped something inside it before pushing Arthur's fingers back into a fist.  
Arthur pulled his hand back and opened his fist, revealing a ornate silver ring set with a dark emerald.  
"Alfred..." He gasped. "How much did this cost?"  
"Hey, that's not important. This is the whole reason why I was working." Alfred smiled.  
"For...this ring?" Arthur asked, marveling at the ring.  
"Oh jeez, Arthur you're supposed to be the smart one, it's not just a ring!" Alfred laughed, his face turning red. "I hope that wasn't a rejection...maybe if I spell it out for you..."  
Alfred leaned forward and kissed the blushing Brit.  
"Arthur...I'm asking you to marry me."

DAY 2191-FIVE YEARS LATER  
"Heading out early, Kirkland?" Arthur looked up to see his boss grinning at him.  
"Yeah, big night tonight." Arthur nodded.  
"Sounds like fun. Don't party all night though I still expect you in early tomorrow!"  
"Yessir."  
Arthur just couldn't get home soon enough, when he finally walked through the door he felt his lips tug upwards in a grin.  
"O-oh, hello Arthur." Arthur's brother in-law Matthew was standing by the door with a nervous grin.  
"Hello, Matthew." Arthur greeted the nervous man cordially. "It's good to see you again. Alfred's still getting ready right?"  
"Y-yes." Matthew smiled.  
"Actually we're done getting ready." Alfred walked into the room wearing a broad grin and carrying a small child. "We couldn't decide between cowboy or Starship captain so we went with both." Alfred laughed referring to how the child wore a cowboy hat and boots with a Starfleet uniform. Alfred deposited the kid onto the ground and handed a tiny backpack to Matthew.  
"Thanks again for watching him, bro." He said.  
"It's n-no trouble." Matthew smiled down at the small child that was now trying to vaporize his uncle with a toy phaser.  
"Now hurry and get the kid outta here! He doesn't wanna see his dads kiss that's gross grown-up stuff!" Alfred winked.  
"Gross!" The child agreed vehemently.  
"A-Alright." Matthew smiled, and in seconds he'd carried the child away.  
"Now then, time to earn my keep." Alfred purred grabbing Arthur's hips and pulling him close.  
"If you insist." Arthur grinned, kissing his stray of a husband.


End file.
